by Jamie Craig
“Interrupted what, exactly?”
“We must’ve been talking.” Isaac straddled one of the chairs. “I’m ninety-nine percent sure nothing ever happened. When I think about her, she’s distinctly in that lost opportunities column.”
It shouldn’t have bothered him, but the one percent possibility she wasn’t a so-called lost opportunity niggled at the back of his mind. “What could you have been talking about?”
“I was trying to get her to open up, so it could’ve been about anything. You don’t remember me talking about her at your parents’ house? I thought she’d been in some kind of abusive relationship, and I was bitching up a storm about beautiful women making stupid choices.”
“Why did you think she was in an abusive relationship? Was she hurt?”
“No, she was skittish. Flirting with me one second, backing off the next.”
“How many times did you see her? I know there was the night after I came back from Palm Springs. Any other times?”
“Twice. I took her out for lunch the next day, and then again sometime later. I’ve been trying to remember as much as I can since I made the connection that it was her, but I can’t pinpoint when that last time was. It wasn’t long after the lunch, though. And before you ask, yes, I’m sure it was a completely separate time. The vibe was different.”
“What name did she use?” Nathan leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “It couldn’t have been Remy. You might have remembered that.”
“That, I do remember. Her name was Maggie.” A rueful smile twisted Isaac’s mouth. “I bought those Rod Stewart CDs because of her.”
Nathan grimaced. “I hated that song already, but you made me hate Rod Stewart.”
“Hey, that’s Remy’s fault. She’s the one who picked it. Don’t blame me because I associated it with the song.”
“Having a pleasant association with a song you like is one thing. You played it often. And loudly. Did you…did you like her?”
Isaac’s eyes ducked, and he squirmed a little in his chair. “Are we going down this road?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think I’d be upset if you did. Hell, I don’t think I’d be upset if part if you still does like her. I just…you know how it feels when everybody knows something you don’t? You tell me you can remember her, and Olivia can see her, but for all I know, you’re making it up.”
“I’m not.” He leaned forward, his gaze serious. “Did I like her? Yeah, as much as I could, considering the circumstances. She was hot as hell, and smart, and I remember…enjoying being around her. Even when she was being…” His voice trailed off, his gaze sliding sideways as a fresh memory clearly took root.
“Even when she was being what?” His lips almost twitched. “Difficult?”
Snorting, Isaac relaxed. “Yeah, like that’s an unnatural state for her. I was thinking about the reason we ended up back our place. Why we weren’t at Smokey’s. We’d gone out for a drive. She wanted to show me something, but something spooked her so we didn’t stick around. I wanted to talk, and I figured she couldn’t run on me there.”
“She wanted to show you something?” Nathan tried to keep his voice even, but his pulse fluttered with sudden excitement. Remy wouldn’t go to the trouble of changing her appearance, tracking down Isaac, and taking him to a specific location if it wasn’t important. Critical, even. “What? Did she take you somewhere?”
He nodded, though he’d gone into thinking mode again. “I remember not being thrilled about it. Well, until we ended up back at the house and I…” He shook his head. “Do you have any idea how weird it is to realize I had the hots for her? Or that I had to remember that in front of Olivia, of all people? I mean, I approached Remy. I’m the one who bought her a drink first, not the other way around.”
“Our lives would be very different, and much easier, if we didn’t have the same taste in women,” Nathan said dryly. “Have you talked to Olivia about it at all?”
Isaac’s eyes widened in horror. “Oh, God, no. I am not ready for that. And if she decides not to ever bring it up at all, that’ll be fine with me.”
“Ah, avoidance. Our old friend.”
“Yeah, well, whatever it takes sometimes.”
“Have you seen Olivia today?”
A shake of his head. “I kept meaning to call her, but Christmas brought the crazies out. I don’t think I’m her favorite person right now, either.”
“Really?” It wasn’t any of Nathan’s business, and he wasn’t there to talk about Isaac’s relationship problems, but Nathan was genuinely concerned for Olivia’s health. He didn’t know what the coin was doing to her when she used it, but he did know that he wasn’t going to be the one who got in her way. “Why not?”
“Because I did everything I could to talk her out of using the coin to find Remy. And when that didn’t work, I went and saw Gabriel on my own to try to get something that would help.”
Nathan couldn’t offer advice, couldn’t jump at the chance to help Isaac run his life, even though the impulse to do exactly that was a strong one. “Gabriel still thinks he has a shot of getting out, that’s why he won’t talk. He doesn’t realize he could have O. J. Simpson’s dream team on his side and that wouldn’t be enough.”
“That’s what—” He stopped, clamping his lips shut. After a moment, he sighed. “This is hard. I’ve wanted to call and talk to you so many times this past week. I hate this. I hate not having you right there. I hate knowing I’m the reason Olivia’s worried you’re drinking again. And I hate that I don’t know how to fix this.”
Nathan swallowed, choking on everything he wanted to say. Even if he unleashed himself, he didn’t know if he would forgive Isaac, yell at him, beg him for his forgiveness, or scream because words were useless.
“Tell me what else you can remember. It might be a start.”
Isaac rubbed the back of his neck. “I remember her eating like a horse when we went out to lunch. She wasn’t worried about what it looked like, or what I might think. I liked that. It made her seem more real. And she kept making cracks about my car. Remember the Beemer?”
“Yes, I remember your ridiculously ostentatious car.” He’d always mocked the car, but to be honest, he missed it. “I meant, what else do you remember about what she wanted to show you, not what you two did on your dates.”
“Date. Singular. And it was just lunch. And she turned me down the first time I asked her because she complained I took too long.” He snapped straight. “Shit. I just remembered where we went after you got home.” The chair scraped across the floor as he rose. “Come on.”
He didn’t want to follow blindly, but Isaac wasn’t stopping to wait for his approval. He had no choice but to go with him, winding through the desks to Isaac’s. Isaac logged on to his computer and began clicking quickly through the windows, occasionally typing something in. Within moments, a broad grin split his features, the most excited Nathan had seen him since they’d busted Gabriel.
“It’s still there. Sometimes, redundant paperwork is actually worth it.”
“You took a statement from her?”
“It was the best I could do. She didn’t want to file charges. Now, I know why. But see this?” He pointed to a checkbox at the bottom of the screen, while his other hand yanked open the left file drawer. “I guaranteed her anonymity.”
Nathan stood back as Isaac went straight to the back, shoving the hanging files out of his way. He extracted a metal lockbox that rattled as he set it on the desk. Unlocking it revealed a jumbled mess of miniature cassettes, the kind the department had always used before digital voice recorders became the norm. Isaac dumped the lot onto his blotter and sifted through them, finally settling on one specific tape.
He held it out to Nathan. “The recording of Maggie’s statement. Yours if you want it.”
Nathan took it from him, cradling it in the palm of his hand like it was made of something precious. If Olivia’s vision was accurate and Isaac’s memory trustworthy, the
n this could very well be a message from Remy.
“Do you have a tape player?” Even if he had one of his own, he couldn’t wait until he got back to his apartment to hear it.
“Yeah, I can scrounge one up around here somewhere. Go grab the interrogation room again before somebody else snatches it. I’ll be right there.”
Nathan was trembling by the time he reached the empty room, his fingers shaking when he clasped the doorknob. He knew regardless of what the cassette held, it wouldn’t get her back. Not unless she managed to work in step-by-step instructions to travel back in time. But regardless of what was on the tape, he wouldn’t have to live with the constant, nagging doubt that she hadn’t survived the jump.
It didn’t take as long as Nathan expected for Isaac to find a player. He set it in the center of the table and plugged it in, leaving Nathan to pop the cassette into the deck. With a deep breath, he pushed it closed and pressed Play.
“You’re going to record me?” Remy’s husky laugh filled the line. “Is there some secret fetish of yours I need to know about, Detective?”
Nathan jammed the Stop button so hard it hurt his finger. He curled his hand into a fist and took a deep breath. “How did you not remember her? Isaac, how could you not take one look and remember her?”
“Because it was ten years ago. Because the woman I met had red hair, a different name, and the first time I saw Remy at your place wearing one of your shirts and nothing else, I got a little wrapped up in who this knockout brunette was, especially when you two started going on about magical coins and time travel. You met her, too, Nathan. And you know her a lot better than I do. Why didn’t you remember her when she dropped in your lap, huh?”
Nathan didn’t answer because he didn’t have one. How could he explain why she didn’t make an impact on him ten years earlier? He remembered the night he brought her back to his apartment from the warehouse like it was yesterday. He’d yearned for her, his desire to touch her trumping every other consideration. He couldn’t believe that his younger self wouldn’t have the same reaction. But then, his younger self had probably believed she was a few minutes away from falling into Isaac’s bed.
He pushed Play again, and heard Isaac’s, “It’s not much of a secret if I use it openly, is it?”
“But I thought this was going to be anonymous.”
“It will be. The official written statement will only include your first name and whatever specific details you might include while we talk here. When everything’s transcribed, I keep the tape to protect my sources.” A chair scraped across the floor. “Trust me, Maggie. You’re doing the right thing here.”
“I know. It’s just complicated.”
“I’ll protect you.”
“I guess I pulled aces running into you, then, didn’t I?” A soft breath. “Those people I was telling you about back home? They’d be glad you’re helping me like this. Especially Nate. He worries too much.”
Nathan had to turn the tape off again. He needed her voice. He wanted to spend the rest of the night listening to the tape again and again until he identified every nuance in her husky words. It was so easy to imagine her sitting in a room like the one they were in, sitting across from a young vice detective who’d set aside his attraction in order to help.
“Isaac. I…” He exhaled slowly, willing his tumultuous emotions into something more manageable. But when he tried again, the words cracked. “Jesus. I’m sorry.”
Isaac nodded once, but his eyes were solemn, searching Nathan’s before he spoke. “I’m sorry I haven’t been as understanding about all this as I could’ve been. I know you love Remy. And I know I might not act like it, but I am grateful you two found each other. I’m not blind. I know how happy you were. I only stopped you from going after her because you’re the only family that matters to me. Which, yes, means I’m a selfish asshole.”
“You’re not. It’s just been so…hard. And I keep thinking. I can’t stop thinking if I hadn’t been there, you would have died. Parker…” Nathan looked away, unable to meet Isaac’s eyes. “But given the choice, even knowing what I know, I would have followed her. I would have left you…and you’ve never left me behind.”
“Remy saved you when I couldn’t. It doesn’t seem unreasonable that you’d want to hold on to that, no matter what the cost.”
“That’s not true. I would already be in the ground if it wasn’t for you.” Nathan swallowed. “I’m aware of that fact every day. I might not have been in the greatest place when I met Remy, but at least I was alive and sober.”
Isaac’s gaze fell to the recorder. “And now? Is Olivia right to be worried?”
“Is there cause for concern? Yes. I’ve been fighting those…urges every second for the past week, but I haven’t lost that battle.”
He hadn’t realized Isaac was holding his breath until he let it out at Nathan’s statement. “Good. That’s good.” He was almost smiling when he looked up again. “Take the tape. I know you want to. I’m going to go through the written statement and write up everything that might help us figure out how to get her back. Remy’s a smart girl. She must’ve left us some clues.”
Nathan had no doubt about that. He knew he could count on Remy to give them the information they needed. There were other potential ways to send them messages, and he would keep a careful eye out for them. But in the meantime, he was going to bury himself in the sound of her voice and the rhythm of her language. Sleep wouldn’t come that night, but the urge to find another bottle was sated. Nathan thought that was a fair price to pay.
Chapter Twelve
As badly as he wanted to get to Olivia’s, Isaac made a detour back to his place first to shower and change his clothes. One early morning arrival a week looking like one of Tiberius’s chew toys was enough for him. The hot water and fresh shirt didn’t turn down the volume on his thoughts, but they did make it easier to tolerate the blast when he got back in the car. So did a shot of Mariah blaring from the speakers.
The sky was still dark when he pulled into the driveway, but a light gleamed behind the closed curtains in the living room. Olivia was already up. Part of him had hoped he would find her drowsy and only half-aware when she opened the door to him. He craved the feel of her taut body against his, the way she draped her bent knee over his thighs when she curled into his side, the tickle of her fingertips when she would stroke his shoulder as they drifted off. Too many nights lately had been spent hunched over his desk, and not enough in her bed. So much for the belief that getting involved with someone was supposed to mean less time working and more time playing.
Or maybe he was a fucking idiot workaholic who couldn’t handle the good thing he had now. He’d been unattached for a long time. Even he could acknowledge there had to be a reason for it.
Grabbing the file he’d brought with him from the station, he got out and jogged up to the front door. His breath feathered in front of his face, the cold turning his nose to ice. Daylight would warm the city up a bit, but as far as he was concerned, the chill was one more reason to wish he was already under the blankets with Olivia.
He used his key to let himself in, but he knew he couldn’t slip through the door quietly enough to surprise her. Tiberius immediately bounded through the house to greet him. Fortunately, he was too well-trained to let his enthusiasm take over, but he obviously wanted to put his massive paws on Isaac’s chest and lick his face in greeting.
“Another all-nighter?” Olivia asked. She was currently in Isaac’s favorite stage of her morning ritual, wearing nothing but her underwear and makeup.
“And here I thought I cleaned up pretty good.” He tossed the file onto the coffee table and crossed the room to stand in front of her. Tracing the satin line of her bra strap, he bent his head to brush a kiss down the side of her neck. “I don’t suppose you want to call in sick today.”
Olivia slid her arm over his shoulder, tilting her chin back, encouraging another kiss. “I desperately want to call in sick today. When this is
over—if this is ever over—can we take a long vacation somewhere?”
“Absolutely.” His lips followed the contour of her throat, the tip of his tongue darting out to test the throb of her pulse point. It skipped faster when he touched it, and he bit back his groan. “Anyplace you want to go.”
“I don’t care, as long as we’re alone and it doesn’t have cell reception.” She stroked her fingers through his hair, the tension in his shoulders easing a bit as she caressed him. “I missed you last night.”
His arm stole around her waist, tugging her gently against him. “I missed you too. I know I should’ve called, but…” Though the last thing he wanted was to lose the scent of her freshly showered skin, he lifted his head so he could meet her eyes. “Nathan stopped by the station last night to see me.”
Olivia stiffened. “What did he want to see you about?”
“To pick my brain on what I remembered about Remy. He was sober too. I asked him about the drinking, and he admitted he’d been tempted but he said he hadn’t caved yet.” The image of Nathan on the other side of the table, the way he’d crumpled when Remy’s voice had come through the tinny speakers as a ghost from their past, filled his head. Isaac had felt about two inches tall at that point. If he’d only remembered about the statement sooner…“I want to believe him.”
He felt her sigh. “I know. I want to believe him too. But…what’s he doing with the booze I know he’s buying? Dumping it?”
“Are you sure he’s doing that?”
“Yes. The bottle I marked is long gone. I’ve marked two more and they both disappeared.”
“I don’t know.” It killed him to say it out loud. “But I think we found something that might help him get back on track.” Letting her go, he scooped up the file. “I took a statement from Remy. I even had the tape to prove it was her.”
Olivia’s eyes lit up. “What did she say? Is there anything remotely useful? Because I’m tired of banging my head against this wall.”
